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The wheels are in motion to build 50 new skateboard parks in the city over the next decade.

A request for proposal has been issued for an engineering or architectural firm to build the skate parks of various sizes that city council approved in 2011.

City bureaucrats, in consultation with the Calgary Association of Skateboarding Enthusiasts (CASE), prepared the 10-year plan to address the lack of publicly accessible parks with a proposed budget of $11 million.

The request for proposal has budgeted costs for planning, design, development, and construction at $2 million in 2013 and $2 million in 2014.

Site selection is slated for the end of July.

Ald. Shane Keating, vice-chair of the community and protective services committee, is pleased the ball is rolling on the plan.

“I think it’s one of those recreation facilities that is not for everyone but there are sufficient numbers out there that are willing to use them and the city should have the wide range of recreation facilities for everybody,” he said.

He is in favour of appointing non-profit groups to be in charge of maintaining and operating skateboard parks.

“My biggest concern was I didn’t want the city building them and then having to end up operating and maintaining at a later time,” he said.

“They should put the money in leverage it with a non-profit organization like one of the skate park organizations.

“Find an organization out there that is willing to manage it, because I would hate for them to build them and they are left out there and the city has to operate, maintain and do everything with it.”

He noted the McKenzie Towne residents’ association is willing to look after a skate park as one example that could be emulated elsewhere.

They currently have one on leased land near the McKenzie Towne Park and Ride.

As Advertised in the Calgary SUN

Calgary officials start wheels rolling on new skateboard parks

The wheels are in motion to build 50 new skateboard parks in the city over the next decade.

A request for proposal has been issued for an engineering or architectural firm to build the skate parks of various sizes that city council approved in 2011.

City bureaucrats, in consultation with the Calgary Association of Skateboarding Enthusiasts (CASE), prepared the 10-year plan to address the lack of publicly accessible parks with a proposed budget of $11 million.